An Introduction To Bidding And Buying On E Bay

An Introduction to​ Bidding and Buying on eBay.Have you noticed that whenever you open a​ newspaper, watch the TV or​ have a​ conversation, people seem to​ be talking about eBay? If you've never used it​ and you've no idea what it's all about, then the chances are that you're starting to​ feel a​ little left out .​ But don't worry! This email contains everything you need to​ know about the basics of​ bidding and buying on eBay.So What is​ eBay?eBay is​ an​ online auction website - and not just any auction site, but the biggest one in​ the world .​ If you know how an​ auction works, then you already know how roughly eBay works .​ Someone adds something they want to​ sell to​ the site, and then buyers come along and place bids on it .​ The highest bid wins the item! It's that simple.eBay being an​ online auction makes a​ big difference, though .​ Buying and selling are not reserved for any elite .​ eBay accept almost any item, no matter how small, and will then advertise it​ on their sites all over the world .​ It's a​ powerful combination of​ an​ auction and a​ slightly chaotic marketplace .​ What is​ Bidding?Bidding is​ when you say how much you will pay for an​ item in​ an​ auction .​ Bidding on eBay, however, doesn't work in​ exactly the same way as​ a​ normal auction, at​ least in​ theory .​ On eBay, you tell the site what the maximum you are willing to​ pay for each item is, and then eBay places the bids on your behalf .​ That means you could say you were willing to​ pay up to​ $100 for something and only have to​ pay $50, if​ that was the highest maximum bid anyone else placed.It's not as​ complicated as​ it​ sounds - the best way to​ get used to​ it​ is​ to​ give it​ a​ try .​ First, the best thing to​ do is​ to​ go to​ the eBay website designed for your country .​ If you don't know the address for it, just go to​ www.ebay.com and it​ will tell you there .​ Now, on the front page you should see a​ big box marked 'search': just type in​ anything that you'd like to​ buy there.Wasn't that easy? Now you should have a​ list of​ items for sale in​ front of​ you, along with how much people are currently bidding for them and the time when bidding ends for each item .​ If you click one of​ these, you can read the description, and then - if​ you're happy with the item and happy to​ pay more than the current highest bidder is​ - you can bid!How Do I​ Bid?Go ahead and scroll down to​ the bottom of​ an​ item's description page, and type the maximum you are willing to​ pay (your maximum bid) into the box .​ Then simply press the 'place bid' button - you will need to​ sign in​ once you press the button, or​ go through a​ quick registration process if​ you don't have an​ eBay username).If someone else's maximum bid on that item is​ higher than yours, then eBay will tell you and give you the opportunity to​ bid again .​ Otherwise, you're now the new highest bidder! All you need to​ do now is​ wait until the end of​ the auction - if​ someone else outbids you, then eBay will email you and you can bid again.All sounds great, doesn't it? But by now you might be wondering whether a​ site as​ chaotic as​ eBay can really be all that safe to​ buy from .​ That's why the next email in​ this series will be about your rights when you buy from eBay.